Needle for sewing braided rugs



June 14; 1949. I A. F. SMYLIE 2,472,990

NEEDLE FOR SEWING BRAIDED RUGS Filed Oct. 29, 1947 AWE F Smy/le INVENTOR.

Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NEEDLE FOR SEWING BRAIDED-BUGS Avie F. Smylie, Houston, Tex.

Application October 29, 1947, Serial No. 782,857

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the sewing together of the braided material when making braided or plaited rugs.

Braided rugs are made by forming several yards of braiding into various shapes and sizes. New material or discarded clothing may be used for the braiding. Cutting the material into strips and braiding it into a three strand braid is very simple to do; but sewing the braiding together to form the rug has been a slow and tedious process; as it has always been done by hand with an ordinary sewing needle and thread. Regardless of how strong the thread used, the rugs begin to break apart after a few months wear. This was not caused so much by the thread breaking; but because of the material tearing where it had been sewed.

I have invented a slightly curved device made of plastic to do this sewing. It measures 3 inches long, has a hole for carrying the thread in one end and tapers to a blunt point. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is used in the following manner:

Lay braiding 3 on a flat surface, wrong side up. Make a fold to the left a few inches from the starting end of the braid, depending on the size and shape of rug desired. Thread the device 2 for sewing with strong twine and fasten securely at fold. Slip the device under one strand of the three strand braid to the right, then under one strand to the left; to the right again then left again as shown in drawing. Continue in this manner, pulling braids together firmly; adding fullness where needed, and adding to twine by 2 making a non slip knot, which is pulled into braiding where it will not show; until the rug is completed.

This way of sewing braided material together for rugs is superior to the old way because it is easier to do, requires much less time, and makes stronger rugs.

I claim:

A braided rug-making tool comprising a needle for lacing together the elements of adjoining braids, said needle having a fiat head wide enough to accommodate a hole for heavy twine but not wider than a bight of an element of thebraided material and thin enough to pass easily under a bight of an element of the braided material and having a dull, blunt point that will not easily penetrate the fabric of an element of the braided material although it will easily slip between the elements of the braid, said needle being curved with the plane of the flat head making a large angle with the plane of the curve.

AVIE F. SMYLIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 590,193 Posey Sept. 14, 1897 2,081,209 Wilhelm et a1 May 25, 1937 2,126,254 Gowell Aug. 9, 1938 2,387,620 Shank Oct. 23, 1945 2,393,268 Rotkel Jan. 22, 1946 

